Contact switch for ball rolling games



Feb. 16,1943. J. c. Kocl I CONTACT SWITCH FOR BALL ROLLING GAMES Filed July 29, 1940 INVENTOB. 611K000- fi ATTORNE \ln 5 a 9 2 Patented Feb. 16, 1943 CONTACT SWITCH FOR BALL ROLLING GAMES Jerry C. Koci, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Molded Products Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 29, 1940, Serial No. 348,113

6 Claims.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in a combination bumper and switch, particularly adaptable for a ball rolling game and has for its principal object the provision of an improved structure which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

Among the salient objects of the invention is the provision of a combination bumper and switch wherein the switch may be readily accessible for adjustment and assembly.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a Contact switch including a tiltable operating member operable by a rolling object to bring the contact members of the switch into wiping engagement with respect to each other as distinguished from mere contact thereby eliminating the possibility of pitting between the contact elements and assuring positive contact at all times.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certain details of construction, arrangement of parts, and mode of operation thereof, all of which will appear as the following description proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional detail view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1 at reduced scale; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the invention with the inclosure removed therefrom.

Referring more particularly to the drawing in which the preferred form of construction of the invention is shown, Ill indicates a board or the like arranged substantially at an inclination with respect to the horizontal and upon which a ball H or other object is adapted to gravitate. Formed in this board 10 is an opening l2. Positioned in this opening 12 is a sleeve l3 formed as a part of a ring 14 which ring I4 is secured to the board l and to a base by means of conductor screws or bolts I6.

The base I5 is formed as an integral part of a housing 11, preferably, though not necessarily, formed of translucent material. The housing I! has an open top 18 normally closed by a cover 19 frictionally surrounding the upper peripheral edge of the housing and also preferably, though not necessarily formed of translucent material.

The conductor screws 16 pass through cylindrical projections 2| depending from the bottom of the housing I! and these projections pass through openings 22 formed in a tiltable disc 23 formed of non-conductive material.

This tiltable 55 disc is provided with a central post 24 which supports a cam member 25, one edge portion of which is beveled as at 26 for reasons hereinafter set forth. Provided as a part of this cam 25 is a reduced shank 21 by means of which the cam is attached to the disc 23.

Supported within the housing I1 and secured to the bottom thereof by means of one of the conductor screws I6, is an upstanding conductor finger 28, having a contact point 29.

Secured within the housing I! by means of the other conductor screw I6. is a flexible conductor finger 29' having a contact point 30 adapted for wiping engagement with the contact point 29 of the finger 28. This conductor finger 29 includes a substantially horizontal portion 3| which overlies the cam whereby when the disc 23 is tilted, the conductor finger 29' will be flexed upwardly in a direction to bring the contact point into wiping engagement with the contact point 29. To assure the proper elevation of the Contact point 30 in its Wiping engagement with the contact point 29 as stated herein, the far edge of the cam 25 is beveled as at 2B. This wiping engagement between the Contact points 29 and 30 assures clean engagement between these contact points, prevents the usual arcing and pitting and at all times assures a positive contact irrespective of from what position the disc 23 is engaged by the ball I I when tilted by said ball.

Surrounding the housing I! is a ring 32 preferably formed of resilient material such as rubber or the like, to act as a rebound for rebounding the ball H back upon the board Ill.

Arranged within the housing is a lamp 33. This lamp is supported by a socket 34. The socket 34 is supported by a bridge 35 comprising cooperating conductor plates 36 and 31 fixed to and supported on conductor pins 39, frictionally positioned through suitable openings formed in the board I0. These pins 39 like the conductor screws I6 are connected to the ends of conductor wires 4|.

From the description herein, it is manifest that I provide a combination bumper and contact switch which is economical in manufacture, simple in structure affording expeditious assembly and positive in operation by virtue of the wiping engagement between the conductor pins.

Any number of the combination bumpers and switches may be mounted on the board 10. The combination bumper and switch may be manufactured without the lamp structure if desired.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into efiect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: V

1. A combination bumper and switch compriS-' ing a bumper structure providing a housing including a base, a switch structure totally enclosed within the housing and including engageable contact elements, a member loosely carried on said base and free to tilt in various directions relative to said base upon engagement with a rolling' object, and means operable by and incident to such tilting movement of said member for actuating said switch structure for efiecting engagement of said contact elements.

'2. A combination bumper and switch comprising a housing having a base, a switch structure totally enclosed within said housing and including a fixed contact and a movable contact, said movable contact having a horizontal portion thereof traversing the interior of said housing and adapted when moved upwardly to efiect wiping engagement of the movable contact against the fixed contact, a member on said base and free to tilt in various directions relative to said base, said member having an annular portion extending from said housingand adapted to be engaged by a rolling ball, and means on said member concentrically disposed with respect to said housing and'adapted to move upwardly against the horizontal portion of said movable contact, when the member is tilted, for moving said horizontal portion upwardly, as aforesaid.

3. In combination, a base, a member on said base and free to tilt in various directions, a switch structure comprising a pair of contact elements carried on said base, and means operable by and incident to tilting movement of said member for moving one of said contact elements into wiping engagement with the other contact element.

4. In combination, a base, a member on said base and free to tilt in various directions, a switch structure comprising a pair of contact elements, one of said contact elements being movable and having a portion extending across said base, and means operable by and incident to tilting movement of said member for actuating said portion of said one contact element, whereby to effect wiping engagement between said one contact element and the other contact element.

5. In a device of the class described, a base, a

switch structure on said base comprising cooperating conductor elements, one of which in- .cludes a flexible portion extending across said base, a member on said base and free to tilt in various directions, and means carried on said member and engaging the flexible portion of said one conductor element to flex the latter in a .direction to effect wiping contact between said conductor elements incident to tilting of said member.

6. In a device of the class described, a base, a housing on said base, switch means totally enclosed within said housing and comprising a fixed contact disposed to the vertical, an L-shaped contact having one end anchored to the base and its free end disposed to the vertical adjacent said fixed contact, the horizontal portion of the movable contact being flush on said base, disc means having a beveled peripheral edge extending beyond said housing and arranged on said base for tilting action with respect thereto and means on said disc and arranged concentrically within said housing and adapted to flex said movable contact when the disc is in a tilted position whereby to eflect a wiping engagement of said movable contact against said fixed contact.

JERRY C. KOCI. 

